Supporting device.



w. E'. CLAYTON. SUPPORTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. l 9l6-Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

r s g WILLIAM E. CLAYTON, OF ALTOONA, KANSAS. I

surroni'rme DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed March 23, 1916. Serial No. 86,268.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. CLAYTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Altoona, in the county of Wilson and State of Kansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Supporting Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a supporting device designed particularly foruse as a fixture in connection with zinc furnaces for the purpose ofholding the zinc condenser in proper position relative to the zincretort.

Supporting devices of this character are commonly known asgrass-hoppers, and are employed for the purpose of holding the condenserin the proper position to receive the zinc from the retort and toprevent the condensed zinc from running back against the charge andeither leaking at the butt or becoming too hot and vaporizing anddischarging through the condenser and becoming lost. Supporting devicesor grass-hoppers of the character heretofore employed have beeneflicient only to a certain degree for these purposes, but have notembodied the necessary adjustments to enable the condenser to be readilyand conveniently adj usted to a predeterminedpositi'on for properworking cooperation with the retort.

The object of my invention is to provide a supporting device orgrass-hopper which, while simple of construction, is adapted to beadjusted to dispose the condenser in a proper position in a ready andconvenient manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting device orgrass-hopper which may be manufactured and installed at a comparativelylow cost.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accom panying drawing in which 2- Figure 1 is a view inside elevation showing the bracket member in connection with thesupporting rod.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation showing the bracket member in tiltedposition and ready to be raised or lowered for adjustment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bracket member.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a relatively stationarysupporting member in the form of a rod having an enlarged portionprovided with a series of annular grooves 2,

- tort.

providing a plurality of intervening locking shoulders or surfaces 3.This rod is provided with transverse openings at its top and. bottom toreceive retaining pins 4:, whereby it is held from displacement when inapplied position.

Provided for cooperation with the supporting rod or stationary bracketmember is a relatively movable or adjustable bracket member comprising abracket bar 5 having a widened or enlarged portion or head 6 at one endthereof. This head 6 is provided with an upper guiding and retaining arm7 provided with an opening 8 and a lower bifurcated or forked lockingarm 9 of somewhat less length than the arm 7. The opening 8 adapts thearm 7 to be slidably and tiltably mounted upon the rod 1, so that thebracket bar may not only be raised .and lowered on said rod but may bepivotally tilted to throw the locking arm 9 into and out. of engagementwith the locking grooves and shoulders.

It will be understood by reference to Fig. 1 that the bar 5 is adaptedto tilt downward under its own weight and any weight thereon, thusdrawing the forward wall of the slot 7 in abutting contact with the rod1 and forcing the bifurcated or forked arm 9 into locking engagementwith one or the other of the grooves 2, but that by tilting the armoutward and upward the fork 9 may be withdrawn from engagement with therod and the bracket bar adjusted upwardly and downwardly on the bar, thearm 7 sliding in contact with said bar, as will be readily understood,and that by this means of adjustment the fork 9 may be interlocked withany of the grooves 2 to dispose the bar 5 at a greater or lesselevation. Hence the dovice maybe used to support and adjust thecondenser as occasion may require to maintain it in proper positionrelative to the re- It will be evident that the device is simple inconstruction and may be made and sold at a comparatively low cost, andits convenience in operation for the purpose de scribed will be readilyappreciated.

I claim z-- A device of the character described comprising averticallydisposed rod havingan enlarged portion provided with a seriesof annular grooves forming a plurality of intervening annular lockingshoulders, and a supporting member comprising a bracket surface, saidbar being enlarged vertically at one end to form a head provided with apair of superposed arms at the upper and lower portions thereof, theupper arm being provided with an opening to receive and engage the rod,said opening being of greater diameter than the rod to permit thebracket bar to have pivotal motion in a vertical plane, and the lowerarm being relatively 10 shorter than the upper arm and bifurcated Copiesof this patent may be obtained for five cents to form a fork topartially embrace the rod and interlock with any of said annular groovesbetween adjacent shoulders.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. CLAYTON.

Witnesses E. P. FOWLER, ED MOM'ET.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

